A doll made of an apple twig and a hickory nut named “Miss Hickory” is the protagonist of Carolyn Sherwin Bailey’s Newbery Medal-winning fantasy. Miss Hickory opens as a homeless doll, since the farm house she lives in is being shut up for the winter and she has been forgotten by the departing family so she must plan to move from her corn cob house to a sturdier and warmer shelter. Miss Hickory fails on multiple attempts in finding a home. At first she moves into Robbin's home after being forced out she relocated to Squirrel’s house where they had an acrimonious dispute ending with Squirrel biting off Miss Hickory’s head. The little twig body survives and surges in an apple tree near the little girl Anne’s farm house. As the story closes Miss Hickory burgeons on the old tree.
Home sweet home is an evident theme in the story “Miss Hickory” the main protagonist experiences the pain of losing her home after being left without anyone to take care of. Miss Hickory is constantly moving from place to place, representing how one always wants to find a place and group where one belongs. At first she travels to a crow’s house then the squirrel's but she doesn't suit up, true belonging only happens when feeling suitable in one’s home. In the end Miss Hickory finds her home, from hickory to apple tree- “home is where one starts from” T.S. Elliot quotes. In conclusion through many adventures and challenges Miss Hickory continues to seek for a sense of belonging experiencing the theme there’s no place like home.
Help in the community is another central theme in the passage, as the main character and others commit to supporting one another. Miss Hickory receives help from a crow who informs her the house was being shut down. Squirrel helps Miss Hickory realize her mistakes and inspires her, she returns the favor by giving her food during the winter. She makes friends with the Hen-Pheasants, whose husbands have deserted them for the winter, and organizes them into a ladies’ aid society. Later, a frosty April morning finds her dislodging BullFrog from the ice. She pulls him free not only from ice but also from his old skin as well. In conclusion community support and friendship are central themes in the passage, as characters help each other in various ways, demonstrating the importance of collaboration.
Miss Hickory's initial stubbornness gradually gave way to a thoughtful openness as she began to see the world from a different perspective, realizing that change could lead to unexpected joys and deeper connections. Miss Hickory alternately mocks Squirrel for forgetting where he has buried his nuts and she was stubborn towards others, not accepting their help. As the story continues she changes her attitude and accepts others' advice. Fate, however, does not reward her good deeds,after a vicious fight with the squirrel she becomes headless. Although disengaged from its body, the head continues to think, recriminating itself for its past hardheadedness and selfishness until the Squirrel has eaten it completely. In conclusion Miss Hickory’s attitude changes as the story rolls.
In conclusion, the story of "Miss Hickory" highlights the themes of belonging, community support, and the importance of change and acceptance. Most dolls lead a comfortable but unadventurous life. This was true of Miss Hickory until the fateful day that her owner, Ann, moved from her New Hampshire home to attend school in Boston—leaving Miss Hickory behind. For a small doll whose body is an apple-wood twig and whose head is a hickory nut, the prospect of spending a New Hampshire winter alone is frightening indeed. Her personality made many difficulties for her but in the end she learned to accept others and help in the community.
Comments